PREPARING YOUR HORSE FOR WINTER

 From The American Quarter Horse Journal and AQHA Corporate Partner SmartPak

Because your horse was designed to spend his days roaming outside, he is naturally equipped with tools to keep himself warm when the temperatures start cooling down. However, that might not always be enough in this modern age of horse ownership.

In this article, we examine:

• How your horse stays warm in cold weather

• How do you know if my horse is warm enough?

• Fit Guide for horse blankets

• Washing turnout rugs and blankets

• Short-hair secrets for horse showing in winter

How Your Horse Stays Warm in Cold Weather

In response to the fading sunlight, your horse’s body starts producing his winter coat as soon as the days start getting shorter. He begins to grow his longer, thicker winter coat in July, shedding the shorter, thinner summer coat in October. That winter coat has longer and coarser hairs than his summer coat, and he uses them to keep himself warm by fluffing them up to trap heat. The individual hairs stand up rather than lying flat against the skin, which traps warm air close to his body and insulates him from the cold.

Along with using this thick hair coat to stay warm from the outside, your horse also uses calories to keep himself warm from the inside. His body ferments roughage in the hindgut, which creates heat that helps maintain his core temperature, which is why many horse owners feed more hay in the winter.

However, even your horse’s full winter coat and normal calorie intake may not be enough to keep him warm all winter, depending on his body’s lower critical temperature or LCT. Your horse’s lower critical temperature is the lowest temperature at which he can maintain his core body temperature without using additional energy. Once the temperature outside gets below that lower critical temperature, his hair coat and normal calorie intake alone aren’t enough to keep him warm.

The lower critical temperature of an individual horse will depend on the temperatures that he’s accustomed to, the amount of body insulation he has (such as the length of his hair coat and the amount of body fat), and whether he lives inside or outside. That’s why even horses with a full winter coat can sometimes benefit from a blanket!

How do I know if my horse is warm enough?

Sheet or blanket? Stable or turnout? If your horse is going to be outside, you’ll want to put on a turnout, whereas you can choose a stable if he’s only going to be in the barn. Depending on the temperature, you’ll choose a sheet if it’s warmer outside and a blanket if it’s colder, but just like Goldilocks, your horse wants his blanket to be just right. Deciding how much to bundle your horse up can be tough

Just like it does for us humans, 40 degrees will feel different to a Florida horse in October than it will to a horse in Chicago in February, so you’ll need to dress your horse differently depending on the temperatures he’s used to.

In addition, the temperature outside isn’t the only factor to consider when you’re choosing the right blanket for the weather. Other factors, like your horse’s living environment and whether or not he’s clipped should also be taken into account.

SmartBlanketing Tips

You can check out SmartPak’s handy infographic for all things blankets and visit SmartPak’s Ultimate Blanket Destination for everything you need to know about blankets.

Fit Guide for Horse Blankets

• The blanket should be snug around the neck, with the spine of the blanket ending at the top of the tail.

• Surcingles should be adjusted so that you can barely get your hand sideways (about 4 inches) between the horse and the surcingle. Adjust leg straps the same way. You want them loose enough so the horse can walk and move comfortably, but not so loose that he could get a hoof caught.

• Crossing the leg straps at the center (between the horse's back legs) helps reduce the chance of a hoof getting caught. Always snap to the same side of the blanket as the strap originates.

• To measure for a new blanket, start at the center of his chest, along his side, ending in the middle of his tail. If the measurement you get is an odd number, 77 for example, round it up to the next number.

Washing Turnout Rugs and Blankets

Take your turnout rugs/blankets and stable rugs/blankets to a professional rug/blanket cleaning service that has the specialty equipment needed.

Hand-washing will, however, help to prolong the life of your rug/blanket.

Follow these simple steps:

1. Remove excess dirt.

2. Hand-wash at a cool temperature using a non-biological soap (washing in hot water can damage the waterproof nature of the fabric). 

3. Drip dry. Do not tumble dry. 

4. Always store in a cool, dry place.

Short-Hair Secrets for Horse Showing in Winter

Long hair works well for horses that are turned out through the winter or undergo low-impact riding. But for horses that train and compete, long hair can make a horse more apt to sweat – then chill. For that matter, short hair is what most trainers and owners desire for their equine athletes during winter. 

AQHA Professional Horsewoman Gigi Bailey of De Pere, Wisconsin, shares her program for keeping horse hair coats short during cold weather.

1. Start With a Warm Barn

An insulated barn keeps horses warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Gigi’s show barn was constructed with this in mind. The building’s walls have a 14 R-factor; the ceiling has a 20 R-factor (R-factor refers to the energy efficiency rating of a structure.) She keeps the thermostat at about 64 degrees in the winter, and ceiling fans constantly circulate warm air throughout the barn.

“At 64 degrees in the wintertime in the barn, the horses typically wear a sheet and a heavy blanket, and they wear a light hood or a slinky at night.”

2. Hauling Horses in Blankets

“Feel the day,” Gigi suggests, when discussing whether or not to haul horses with blankets. “Before we take a trip, we stand around and take a poll. ‘Should we haul in heavy blankets and light hoods? Just sheets? Sheets and blankets? Nothing?’ I prefer to put more blankets on the horses and open the windows up a little bit, mostly because I just think the circulation is healthier for the horse.

“When we’re at a show, we check blankets all day long,” Gigi continues. “We feel under the blankets at their withers and on their backs. We want them to be toasty – but not sweating.”

3. Body Clipping

While many trainers and barn managers prefer not to body clip a horse – because the buzzed hair often is duller and a different color than a normal short hair coat – there are times when it becomes necessary.

“If I do have to show one that grows long hair, I usually clip it,” Gigi says. “I think body clips are fine as long as you keep that horse’s hair as healthy as you can before you clip it.”

If she is unable to body clip a long-haired horse for some reason, Gigi makes certain that every other aspect of the horse is in pristine condition before she steps into the show ring. Every day throughout the chilly season, her show horses are curried and vacuumed, followed by a spray coat conditioner. She expects each horse’s grooming to be impeccable – just like a halter horse.

4. Health Check If the Hair Is Still Long

If you’re doing absolutely everything you can think of to keep your horse’s hair coat nice and short, and he still fuzzes up, just know – it happens. Some horses naturally grow more hair. But if the hair coat is dull, or if it is difficult to get the horse to shed throughout the winter, have your veterinarian run some routine health tests.

“When I see a horse’s hair go bad, I try to determine the cause,” Gigi says. “That little alarm will go off in my mind that says I may have a health problem, which routinely is anemia or low thyroid. It doesn’t hurt to pull blood to make sure we’re OK.”

Smart Tools for Smart Riders

Just as handy as the SmartPak blanketing tips are for knowing when to blanket your horse, the SmartPak feeding system – the official supplement feeding system of AQHA – is the ultimate way to feed your horse. SmartPaks™ is a simple, foolproof way to make sure your horse always gets the right supplements. All you have to do is choose the supplements that your horse needs, and we’ll pack them into convenient, customized daily doses that make feeding time fast and easy.

And SmartPaks aren’t just easier for you – they’re better for your horse, too. Because they come in pre-measured doses, are clearly labeled, and sealed for freshness, there’s never any doubt that your horse is getting the absolute best. 

As always, if you have any questions about this blog, please don't hesitate to contact us at 913-837-0760 or 913-837-0411.  Also, if you are interested in buying or selling rural property, give us a call!  Happy Trails.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ROAD SALT

As temperatures start to drop, it becomes more and more evident that the cold of winter is right around the corner. In many areas, this means it’s time to start prepping for low temps and all the ice and snow that often accompany them. There’s one thing that people often forget to prepare for, though: the deluge of road salt that often comes with the winter.

Road salt is obviously used to help keep the roads safe by melting snow and ice before it can become dangerous. Many homeowners use salt and salt alternatives around the house as well, keeping walkways and steps ice-free during harsh weather. If you aren’t careful, though, having too much salt can cause a lot of problems with your landscaping and even some home fixtures. If you want to stay on top of potential salt-related problems, here are some things to keep in mind while preparing for winter.

The Problem With Road Salt

Road salt has been around for a long time; it was first used in the 1930s to help keep ice off of the roads, and though there have been some refinements since then, the basic premise remains the same. Salt lowers the freezing temperature of the water, making it take lower temperatures to freeze and thus preventing some of the ice buildups that can make roads hazardous. Once temperatures drop past a certain point this water can still freeze, but between traffic and the angle of the road surface, there may be less of the slower-freezing water on the road by that point.

Unfortunately, road salt can also cause problems over the course of the winter. Salt sprayed from the tires of passing cars and leached off as runoff from melting snow can get into your yard, damaging or killing grass or plants near the road. That same salt can cause corrosion on your vehicles if you live in an area where the roads are frequently salted, leading to both rust and paint damage as the salty water evaporates and white salt powder builds up on your car. Salt tracked in on your tires and shoes can also cause damage to concrete in your garage and on your steps, especially if it’s left there for extended periods. Even the salt products that you use around the house yourself can lead to some of these problems if you use too much and don’t clean up after.

Road Salt Protection

There are a few ways to protect your home and lawn from the effects of salt during the winter. If you use a lot of plants or decorative grasses in your yard, keep sensitive plants away from roads and driveways and plant hardier grasses in the areas that will get the most salt exposure. When temperatures rise above freezing, water the areas where salt was splashed onto your yard thoroughly to help dilute the salt and add lime or gypsum as well to help neutralize the salt’s effects. You should also keep an eye on grass and plants that seem to develop salt damage so that they can be replaced in the spring.

To protect your garage floor and other parts of your home, be sure to rinse them thoroughly with clean water to remove possible salt buildup. To add a layer of protection to the concrete, consider applying an epoxy-based sealant to the garage floor as well before temperatures drop too much. Wash your car when possible if you notice salt buildup to remove it before it can cause damage. If you’re using sidewalk salt to keep your steps clear, choose a concrete-safe salt alternative or ice melt mix to help prevent damage.

If you are in the market to either buy or sell rural property, please feel free to contact The Rural KC Team-Keller Williams Partners, Inc. at 913-837-0760 or 913-837-0411 or go to ruralkc.com.  

FARM ANIMALS ARE BENEFICIAL TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY'S HEALTH

People are drawn to country life, homesteading and hobby farming for different reasons. 

Some relish the peace and quiet of being surrounded by acreage, others draw pleasure and purpose from gardening and working the land or achieving greater self-sufficiency.

But for many of us, the desire to go-rural is driven by our love of animals.

If you’ve been looking for a good excuse to upgrade from house pets to farm animals, check out these 5 ways keeping farm animals can help keep your entire family healthier and happier. 

#1: Farm animals reduce the risk of asthma and allergies in children and babies

While it may seem counter-intuitive, researchers at Johns’ Hopkins University discovered that babies exposed to dirt, animal dander (yes!) and germs had a lower risk of allergies and asthma later in life than children raised in cities or towns.

Other studies conducted on Amish children have shown the same results: the more time kids spend with farm animals, the significantly lower their risk of asthma and allergies.

Our next point explains why this phenomenon occurs...

#2: Keeping farm animals can significantly boost your immunity

Not only does being around farm animals help lower a child’s risk of asthma and allergies, but studies have proven farm kids tend to have stronger immune systems, more resilient gut microbiomes and less chronic childhood disease than city kids.

Many of these health benefits are due to the microbe-rich barnyard dust that children inhale, which (believe it or not) challenges and strengthens their immunity over time.

Additionally, spending time outdoors tending to animals exposes us to natural sunlight which helps boost vitamin D levels. Plus, farm chores promote regular exercise and movement—all of which strengthen immunity.

#3: Farm animals provide healthier food & superior nutrition

There’s a certain level of satisfaction that comes from growing and raising your own food; and research has confirmed that raising your own animals for meat, milk and eggs has some impressive health benefits.

For example, a study from Penn State showed that chickens raised in their natural environment, with plenty of access to the outdoors, green grass, worms, grubs, etc. produced eggs with double the amount of vitamin E and omega 3 fatty acids, a more favorable ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids (which helps your body fight inflammation) and a higher concentration of vitamin A.

Dairy cows raised on pastures give milk which is higher in essential fatty acids like anti-inflammatory omega 3 and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). And many dairy farmers and health enthusiasts swear raw milk, aka: “farm milk” is easier to digest, tastier and less allergenic than pasteurized homogenized milk.

And beef cattle raised on grass produce a leaner healthier meat higher in omega 3s, CLA, precursors to vitamins A and E (such as carotenoids which give the fat a yellow hue) and the antioxidants glutathione and superoxide dismutase; all while being lower in fat and cholesterol than grain-fed cattle. 

Plus, if you’re raising your own animals you have total control over what goes into their bodies— which typically results in less antibiotics and artificial hormones...and that’s good for everyone.

#4: Caring for farm animals protects your mental and emotional health too

You’ve probably read about the health and longevity benefits of house pets, but science shows that farm animals can impact your mental and emotional well-being too.

Horses, for example, have long been used as therapy animals for children and adults with disabilities; and horseback riding through equine programs has been shown to help quell stress and anxiety in teens by reducing cortisol levels.

Beyond equine therapy, Care Farms have shown promising benefits for those with mental, emotional, memory and behavioral health issues. 

A Care Farm is a special non-institutional setting where people can interact with and care for farm animals as part of their healthcare treatment program. On a Care Farm, useful work while interacting with animals forms the basis of the therapy.

The animals on these Care Farms have shown great promise in providing participants with a variety of mental and emotional benefits including: 

• Meaningful daily occupation
• A way to connect and create valued relationships
• Better coping skills
• Opportunities for reciprocity
• A distraction from their problems
• A source of relaxation
• Enhanced feelings of acceptance and purpose
• Healthy relationships with other people on the farm
• Stimulating healthy behavior
• Opportunities for reflection and feedback

Additionally, farmers on Care Farms have noted the animals provide a “mirror” for the participants, which helps them see how their own behavior and attitudes directly affect others.

Research has also shown Care Farms provide structure, purpose and stimulus which benefit those with dementia.

#5: Farm animals and pets help protect your heart health

Strange, but true. 

Research from the American Heart Association has shown regular interaction with animals benefits your heart health by:

• Lowering blood pressure and cholesterol
• Reducing stress
• Improving physical fitness 
• Reducing the risk of obesity

Plus, animals provide companionship and purpose—both of which are important in protecting your heart health and longevity.

If you are interested in moving to the country, please feel free to contact the Rural KC Team-Keller Williams Partners, Inc. at 913-837-0760 or 913-837-0411,

Thank you to Kristen Boye with ReThink Rural for this blog post.

PAINTING CONCRETE FLOORS

 

When most people think of flooring, they picture things like carpet, wood flooring, tiles, and other common floor coverings. There are other options available to homeowners though, including concrete floors. While concrete was once seen mostly in places like basements and garages, it’s becoming increasingly common on the main floor of homes as well. Concrete flooring with built-in radiant heating systems is becoming a lot more popular, especially in areas that tend to have more severe winters.

Some people think that concrete flooring is limited in its decorative options, assuming that the only thing you can do with concrete is to apply a sealant or stain. There are other options available, though, including painting the concrete. But be careful before just slapping a coat of paint onto a concrete floor; there are a few things that you should know first.

Prepping the Surface

One of the biggest problems that people have with concrete floors is trying to paint them without having adequately prepped the concrete surface first. In order for paint to adhere to concrete well, the surface needs to be rough enough for the paint to get a good hold, and it also needs to be clean and dry. This can mean a little more prep time than some other types of flooring, but the end results are definitely worth it.

Seal any cracks in the concrete with concrete filler, then sweep the concrete to remove any dust or lose debris. Scrape off any old paint or other materials that are stuck to the floor. Wet the floor with a sprayer or mop, then apply a concrete degreaser and scrub the surface with a stiff-bristled broom to clean it. Rinse well and clean up any excess water with a wet/dry vac so that the surface can dry completely before you start painting.

Painting and Sealing

Once your floor is completely dry, it’s very important to put down at least one or two coats of primer that’s designed for use with concrete before you actually start painting. Tape off all of the baseboards and other areas that you want to protect, then start applying your primer at the edges and work toward the middle. Try to get each coat applied in a single painting session, as you don’t want to let the primer dry in patches that will show through in the final paint application. Allow each coat a chance to dry completely before starting on the next, waiting up to 24 hours if necessary to ensure that it’s fully dry.

Once you’ve applied your primer, it’s time to start painting. Use a concrete-friendly epoxy paint and follow the same application instructions that you used with the primer. Get good coverage along all of the edges before moving in toward the center and allow each coat a chance to dry completely. Once your paint is completely dry, apply a concrete sealer and follow the manufacturer’s directions to ensure that it cures properly. Ventilation and proper masking are especially important for this step, as come sealers can release fumes that you don’t want to breathe.

Understanding the Project Scope

Painting concrete floors can be intimidating because the process is a bit more involved than your standard paint job. If care isn’t taken to ensure that the floor is properly cleaned beforehand and sealed afterward then you can end up with bubbles and peeling paint down the road. Getting all of your materials together before the job starts and following all material instructions will save you a lot of trouble in the long run, since you won’t have to stop to go get something or run into issues with improperly applied coats.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact the Rural KC Team at 913-837-0760 or 913-837-0411.  Have a great day!